MSU Extension Apples

Apple maturity testing will occur weekly for the southwest region beginning now through the end of harvest. Reports will be sent out every week following the Michigan State University Extension fruit team apple maturity calls on Wednesday mornings.

In the Southwest region, Gala, Premier Honeycrisp, September Wonder Fuji and McIntosh have been harvested. Some blocks of Empire and Honeycrisp have been harvested. The bulk of the Honeycrisp harvest will occur this week for the region.

Weather has been hot and humid early this week, with temperatures reaching around 90 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday. Temperatures will gradually moderate through the rest of the week, with highs falling into the mid-80s Thursday (Sept. 3) and Friday and the low 80s over the weekend. Chances for showers and thunderstorms increase Thursday night through Friday, with additional rain possible into Saturday morning. Drier weather is expected by Saturday afternoon and Sunday, while nighttime temperatures fall into the low to mid-60s. These cooler nights and a greater difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures should favor red color development in ripening apples as harvest continues.

How to read maturity tables

Each week, an apple maturity report will be provided and will include average values for several apple samples for varieties nearing maturity. Maximum and minimum values are included in tables below for the highest and lowest individual fruits evaluated for each, to give a full spectrum of maturity. Samples included in the reports have been untreated with ReTain or Harvista, unless otherwise noted. Samples were collected from 1- 3 locations in Berrien County.

For more information about apple maturity testing, review these resources compiled by the MSU Extension tree fruit team.

• Predicted apple harvest dates for 2026 from MSU.
• More information on harvest management tools and timings can be found in this article.
• Guidelines from MSU to check for apple maturity in your own orchard, including specific pressure and starch recommendations by variety.
• New starch charts for evaluating apple maturity in Michigan from Michigan State University
• Predicting apple maturity and starch chart from Cornell University.
• Starch chart for Honeycrisp Apples developed by Washington State University.

Maturity information for the Southwest Region

Gala

Gala fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Samples in the table below are for Brookfield and Simmons Gala. Most orchards of Gala have been harvested. Fruit size was small in the region. Red color is highly variable across sites. Red color is at 72%. Background color is yellow at 1.6. Fruit firmness is at 20.6 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 4.0. Sugars are an average of 13.2 Brix. If not harvested yet, Gala should be picked quickly. Hot temperatures will further reduce the storability of the mature fruit this week.

Honeycrisp

Fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is at 41%. This is lower than last week due to different sampling locations. Color development has been low in Honeycrisp this season, especially in more shaded blocks, or those experiencing high fruit set. Background color is yellow-green, at 3.4. Pressure is 14.6 lbs, and starch rating averaged at 5.1. Sugars are at 11.5 Brix. Honeycrisp reached maturity in many parts of SW Michigan over the past week, and is now being harvested.

Bitter pit has been observed in some fruit across the region. Risk is generally greater in young or highly vigorous trees, blocks on susceptible rootstocks, trees carrying light crop loads, and fruit that have sized especially large. Fruit from high-risk blocks should be cooled promptly to the recommended storage temperature of 38 F, since pre-conditioning can increase bitter pit expression. These fruit should also be marketed relatively quickly rather than held for extended storage. Fruit with lower bitter pit risk that are intended for longer-term storage can be pre-conditioned at about 50 F for 5–7 days before cooling.

Empire

Empire fruit were sampled from two locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is at 54%, and background color is green at 4.1. Fruit firmness is at 17.6 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.1. Sugars are an average of 11.9 Brix. Empire will reach maturity very soon.

Fuji (Aztec)

Aztec Fuji fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 28%, and background color is green at 5.0. Fruit firmness is at 20.4 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.5. Sugars are an average of 10.9 Brix. Fuji is immature this week.

Golden Delicious

Golden Delicious fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color (blush on Goldens) is at 7%, and background color is green at 4.4. Fruit firmness is at 18.6 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.3. Sugars are an impressive average of 14.3 Brix. Golden Delicious is immature this week.

Idared

Idared fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 34%, and background color is green at 4.5. Fruit firmness is at 16.6 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.3. Sugars are an average of 9.6 Brix. Idared is immature this week.

Jonagold

Jonagold fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 30%, and background color is green at 4.9. Fruit firmness is at 17.9 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.9. Sugars are an average of 12.6 Brix. Jonagold will reach maturity very soon.

Jonathon

Jonathon fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 64%, and background color is green at 4.3. Fruit firmness is at 17.0 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.0. Sugars are an average of 12.2 Brix. Jonathon will reach maturity soon.

Northern Spy

Northern Spy fruit were sampled from one location in Van Buren county on Tuesday. Red color is at 10%, and background color is green at 5.0. Fruit firmness is at 21.1 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 1.6. Sugars are an average of 11.4 Brix. Spys are immature this week.

Red Delicious

Red Delicious fruit were sampled from three locations in Berrien and Van Buren counties on Tuesday. Red color is at 64%, and background color is green-yellow at 2.9. Fruit firmness is at 17.8 lbs of pressure. Starch is an average of 2.5. Sugars are an average of 12.4 Brix. Red Delicious is reaching maturity very soon. Harvest Red Delicious at a starch of 3.0 for optimal long term storage.

Apple maturity sampling parameters

• Color % = the visual percentage of red color from 0 to 100; range is of all fruits tested. Indicates surface area covered in red and intensity of red color.
• Background color: 5 = Green, 1 = Yellow; range is of all fruits tested.
• Firmness in pounds pressure = measured with a Güss Fruit Texture Analyzer; range is of all fruits tested.
• Starch For Honeycrisp: will typically be rated using the standard Michigan State University starch scale (1-8). However, a separate starch chart for Honeycrisp Apples developed by Washington State University (scale 1-6) also exists.
• Brix = % sugar measured with Atago PAL-1 Pocket Refractometer

Looking for more? View Michigan State University Extension’s Apple page for regional reports throughout the state and additional resources.